Fortunately, the band carried a new set of heads for the drum, and thecontribution of the boys served to restore the offended musicians to goodnature. Teddy, however, was not appeased. That youngster vowed thathe would take revenge on the bass drummer at the very first opportunity.
That afternoon, during the performance, Teddy began his getting-even process by standing in front of the bandstand between his acts, andmaking faces at the musicians.
This seemed to amuse them, and brought only smiles to their faces.
Teddy was not there for the purpose of amusing the band, so he turned hisback on them and tried to think of something more effective.
The show did a great business at Des Moines, having a "turn-away" atboth afternoon and evening performances. The Sparling shows hadplayed there before, but never to such business, which the showmandecided was due to their novel way of traveling. He knew that these littlenovelties frequently made fortunes for Circus owners.
At the evening performance, Teddy had an inspiration. He was toobusy, during the first part of the show, to give his idea a practical test, butlater in the evening, while he was awaiting his cue to go on in his clownact, he tried the new plan.
The lad had purchased half a dozen lemons from the refreshmentstand. One of these he cut in halves, secreting the pieces in a pocket ofhis clown costume; then when the time came he stationed himself in frontof the bandstand where he stood until he had gained the attention ofseveral of the musicians.
Teddy took out the two pieces of lemon with a great flourish, wentthrough the motions of sprinkling sugar over them, then began suckingfirst one piece, then the other, varying his performance by holding out thelemon invitingly to the players.
The bass drum player scowled. Teddy's lemon did not affect thebeating of the drum, but as the lad began to make believe that the acidjuice was puckering his lips, some of the musicians showed signs ofuneasiness.
The Circus Boy observing this, smacked his lips again and again, andindustriously swallowed the juice, though it nearly choked him to do so.
Very soon some of the players got off the key, their playing grewuneven and in some instances stopped altogether. The leader could notunderstand what the trouble was. He called out angrily to the offendingmusicians, but this seemed only to add to their troubles.
All at once the big German, who played the bass horn, rose from hisseat and hurled his music rack at the offending Teddy Tucker. Everythingon the bandstand came to a standstill, and the performers in the ringglanced sharply down that way, wondering what could have happened.
The leader turned and discovered Teddy and his lemons. He wasbeside himself with rage. He understood, now, why his musicians hadfailed. Teddy sucking the lemon had given many of them "thepuckers."It was an old trick, but it worked as well as if it had been brand new.
The Circus Boy was delighted. The leader experienced no suchsensations. With an angry exclamation, he leaped from the box onwhich he was standing, aiming a blow at Teddy with his baton.
The boy dodged it and ran laughing out into the ring, for it was nowtime for him to go on in his next act.
After a minute or two the band once more collected itself and the showwent on, but there were dire threats uttered against Teddy Tucker by theleader and players. The bass drummer grinned appreciatively.
"I wish I could think of something that would tie up that fellow withthe drum," muttered Teddy, gazing off at the drummer with resentful eyes.
The band leader had no scruples against carrying tales, andimmediately after the performance he hunted up Mr. Sparling and entereda complaint against the irrepressible Teddy. The result was that Teddywas given a severe lecture by the showman after they got on board theboat that night. Then Phil added a warning.
"Well, what about yourself?" retorted the lad.
"Why?""I never stirred up as much roughhouse as you did this morning. Youhad better take some of that advice to yourself."Phil laughed good-naturedly.
"I shall have to admit the impeachment," he said.
It seemed, however, as if the Sparling shows could not get alongwithout exciting incidents happening at least once in twenty-four hours.
They appeared to follow the Circus Boys, too, like a plague. It is likelythat, had they not followed the boys, Teddy Tucker would have gone outhunting for them.
The next morning something else occurred that was not a part of thedaily routine. The boats were late and the next stand was not yet in sight,so the band had not been called to work as early as on the previousmorning. The bandsmen were just rousing themselves, in response toraps on their cabin doors, when they heard rapid footsteps on the deck, andexcited shouts from several voices.
Teddy and Phil awakened at about the same time, having beendisturbed by the unusual sounds.
"Now, what is the trouble?" exclaimed Phil.
"Something is going on, and here I am in bed," answered Teddy,tumbling out and throwing open the blinds.
He saw nothing unusual. The boat was slipping along, enveloped in acloud of black smoke. The disturbance seemed to be on the other side ofthe vessel.
"Come on, Phil. Let's find out what it is all about. Maybe the boathas struck a rock and we are sinking. Wouldn't that be fun?""I don't see anything funny about that. It would be serious, and youand I would be out of a job for the rest of the season.""Don't you care! I have money. Didn't I give you seven-fiftyyesterday and still have some left?""Eight," grinned Phil.
By this time the boys had hurried out into the corridor, and thence tothe deck.
"Well, what do you think of that?" howled Teddy.
"Bruiser is out," exclaimed Phil.
Bruiser was a baboon, whose temper was none too angelic. He was abig heavy fellow, who never lost an opportunity to vent his temper onwhoever chanced to be within reach.
It seems that on this particular occasion a sleepy keeper was cleaningBruiser's cage so that it might be neat and presentable when the showopened. Bruiser had sat on a trapeze far up in the cage, watching theproceedings with resentful eyes, perhaps wondering how he mightadminister a rebuke to the keeper.
All at once the baboon saw his opportunity. The keeper had stoopedover to pick up something from the floor of the boat, as he stood at theopen door of the cage in the rear.
Bruiser projected himself toward the opening like a catapult. At thatinstant the keeper had straightened up and the baboon hit him squarelyin the face. There could be but one result. The keeper tumbled overon his back.
Chattering joyously, Bruiser began hopping off on all fours. First heinvestigated the tops of the cages, running over them and bringing roarsfrom the animals within. Then he hopped down and paid a visit to thehorses.
January sent a volley of kicks at the beast, but Bruiser was too quick,and the hoofs passed harmlessly over his head.
About this time the keeper had scrambled to his feet in alarm. Atfirst he did not know where the baboon had gone, but hearing thedisturbance among the horses he ran that way, soon coming uponBruiser. With a scream of defiance, the animal bolted up thecompanionway, hurriedly investigated the corridors and the main cabin,then l............